Agetur UK Novices' Hurdle (GBB Race)

Off time: 13:05 | Winning time: 4m 11.10s

Fort St Angelo²⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Rex Dingle| T: C Gordon

20/1

Successful on second of 2 starts in Irish points (May 6) and showed definite promise when runner-up on Rules debut in a Ludlow bumper (15.8f, good) last month. That looked like a decent contest and, with improvement likely now switched to hurdles, he's not discounted.

Form: 5-12

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Hartington²²

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Brendan Powell| T: J Tizzard

9/1

Promising third of 15 in a Market Rasen maiden (20.6f, good to soft) on hurdles debut in April. Unsuited by drop to this trip on return at Worcester last month and it would appear that the focus is on getting this third qualifying run under his belt ahead of a switch to handicaps.

Form: 453-5

L'astronome⁷⁶

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Harry Cobden| T: James Owen

9/1

Useful performer at his best on the Flat, counting a Group 2 success among his 4 wins in France. Shaped well on debut for Hugo Palmer at Chester last September and, though below par since, he is very much of interest switched to hurdles for new yard with Harry Cobden booked.

Form:

Portcammon⁵⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: S Bowen| T: N P Mulholland

33/1

Landed the odds in good style in a Roscommon bumper for Willie Mullins last year. Has failed to build on that since, including on handicap bow at Galway in September, but he's nevertheless an interesting recruit for the Neil Mulholland yard with handicaps likely to be on the agenda before long.

Form: 1-47

Pure Carbon³⁵

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Paul O'Brien| T: Harry Derham

9/4

Stepped up on his bumper debut when third of 12 in one at Huntingdon in April. Further progress when second to odds-on shot Captain Marvellous on return/handicap debut at Warwick (2m, good) and he's likely to make a bold bid to go one better here.

Form: 93-2

Roysse^t²⁸⁹

Age: 5| Weight: 11-0| J: Ben Jones| T: B Pauling| CDWS

10/11

Unbeaten in 3 points and duly built on his Rules debut promise when landing a 10-runner bumper here (2m, soft) in January. That race has already produced 4 subsequent winners and, with the promise of better to come now sent hurdling, he has to enter calculations. Has undergone a wind op.

Form: 41-

Non-Runners

Wellington Arch²⁰⁸

Weight: 11-0| Age: 5

T: J & A O'Neill J: Jonjo O'Neill Jr.

Forecasts

Roysse (10/11), Pure Carbon (9/4), Hartington (9/1), L'astronome (9/1), Wellington Arch (10/1), Fort St Angelo (20/1), Portcammon (33/1)

It's probably fair to say that PURE CARBON was flattered by his proximity to the winner when runner-up on hurdles debut at Warwick, but the horse that beat him that day looks pretty useful and, in any case, it was a very promising start to his career in this sphere. Harry Derham's charge is taken to go one better here, perhaps at the expense of L'Astronome, who is an interesting recruit from the Flat for the burgeoning James Owen yard. Bumper-winner Roysse is also of strong interest.